Fast knows no age

Some remarkable Porsches star at the 35th annual Monterey Historics

Feature Article from Hemmings Sports & Exotic Car

There are always big names--this year's included Brian Redman, Stirling Moss, Jurgen Barth, Derek Bell, David Donohue, Vic Elford and Hurley Haywood--but, as organizers and participants alike like to say, the cars are the main attraction at the Rolex Monterey Historic Automobile Races. The Historics are not only one of the high points of the week of events preceding the Pebble Beach Concours d'Elegance, but a major event in the world of vintage racing. This year, 450 cars were entered, a third of which were Porsches, the featured marque.
In fact, the cars from Zuffenhausen were everywhere, from the four 917Ks that took to the track to the hundreds of 911s displayed by Porsche club members. The manufacturer showcased its 2010 Panamera sedan on the track, and provided a heritage display of its current and former race cars, in addition to its current product lineup.
In addition to the sight of irreplaceable race cars being wrung out on the track by some highly talented amateur drivers, one reason the Historics are such a standout event is that enthusiasts are free to wander through the paddock area at Mazda Raceway Laguna Seca, getting up-close looks at an incredible variety of race cars and meeting those who race and take care of them. It's a scene of constant activity, yet the participants are always willing to spend time talking about the objects of their devotion.
This year marked the last that the Monterey Historics would be produced by Steve Earle's organization, General Racing, which created the event 36 years ago. The Sports Car Racing Association of Monterey Peninsula, or SCRAMP, will be organizing a new event, but will be allowed to continue using the current name for one more year. "We are very proud of all that we have accomplished with the Monterey Historic Automobile Races," Earle said in a statement, "and I truly believe that we have brought something special to the community of Monterey as an event of world renown and the generator of substantial revenue for the local economy and the charities to which SCRAMP contributes."
Gill Campbell, the CEO and general manager for Mazda Raceway Laguna Seca, promises that the show will go on. "SCRAMP has always admired Mr. Earle's creation, which has brought historic car racing to the enthusiast on such a level," she said in a statement. "We look forward to our 2010 event, scheduled from August 13-15, and beyond, with the mission of continuing the tradition of historic automobile racing here while enhancing the enjoyment factor for the fans, participants and sponsors."
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One of the many things that make the Monterey Historics so enjoyable; The paddock is open to visitors, and there are even free tours.
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Driving a 1960 Lola Mk I in Group 5A action was Stirling Moss, who was cheered by the crowd after his first pass through the Corkscrew. "It is a car I never raced before I retired," he said after the race. "I actually drove it afterward, but I can tell you that it is much faster now than it ever was when it was new. I'm really only using third and fourth gears; it really accelerates well out of the slow corners."
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The twin-cam, 1,100cc four of this 1934 Lagonda Rapier is warmed up before the car heads out for its practice laps. The Lagonda is driven by Alan Patterson of Sausalito, California.
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Porsche's world-beating 917 "is the only car I have ever driven that will spin the tires at 200 MPH," Mark Donohue once said. No fewer than four 917s ran in Group 7A. This example, a 917/10 owned by Bruce Canepa of Scotts Valley, California, finished first at the 1970 Daytona 24 Hours.
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Only 670 Elvas--from the French elle va, or "she goes"--were produced in England by race-car builder Frank Nichols in the early 1960s. This Courier Mark IV, owned by Lon Walters of Sedona, Arizona, has a Triumph front end, an MG engine, Spitfire doors and a Riley differential.
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Wearing an appropriate number, Richard Riddell's 1925 Bugatti Type 35C tackles a corner. Riddell, of Laguna Beach, races on Saturday and judges on Sunday; he has more than 25 years of experience as a class judge at the Pebble Beach Concours.
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Group 4A featured 1955-1961 GT cars with less than 2,200cc displacement, such as this 1961 P1800 owned by vintage Volvo enthusiast Rick Hayden of Harbor City, California. The coupe was reconstructed from the remains of a car raced by noted endurance driver Art Riley and wrecked at Sebring in 1965.
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When a C-Type meets a D-Type, there are no straight lines to be found. You might recognize the 1952 XK120C from the cover of the July 2009 issue of HS&EC; it, and the 1954 D-Type next to it, are owned by Terry Larson of Mesa, Arizona. Beyond is yet another D-Type, a 1955 car driven by Gary Pearson of La Jolla, California.
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The Porsche Corral, organized by the Monterey Bay Region of the Porsche Club of America, was a car show in its own right. There were hundreds of Porsches from every era, from 356s to Caymans. The sea of 911s was beyond belief.
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The 1924 Bentley 41/2 Liter of Bruce McCaw of Bellevue, Washington, casts a long, skinny shadow as it makes its way back into the pits.
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More than one generation of enthusiasts was fascinated with the 356s parked in the Porsche Corral.
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Porsche displayed a number of its vintage race cars, including the 1969 908LH that took part in the closest finish ever at the 24 Hours of Le Mans. After 24 hours of racing, all that separated the 908 from the winning Gulf Ford GT40 was a distance of a few feet.
PHOTO 13Red Johnnie, a 1930 Morgan Super Aero, was raced by Larry Ayers of Vallejo, California, in Group 1A, joining other sporting cars built between 1904 and 1910. The J.A.P.-powered three-wheeler set records at Brooklands in 1935.
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The 1954 Warrior Bristol accelerates out of the Andretti Turn. Restored in Australia in 1980, the Williams & Pritchard-bodied car is owned and driven by Jack Perkins of San Jose, California.
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Watching and hearing the cars entering and leaving the paddock was a treat in itself. This 1948 MG TC is owned and raced by Al Moss of Sedona, Arizona. Yes, it's Moss as in Moss Motors; he founded the parts company in the 1950s.
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Pre-war greatness: A 1939 BMW 328 driven by John Fitzpatrick of Redding, California, chases a 1925 Bugatti Type 35A driven by David Duthu of Seabrook, Texas, and the red 1930 Ford driven by Patrick Phinny of Carmel, California.
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John Weinberger of Naperville, Illinois, drove one of no fewer than three Porsche Abarth GTLs entered in Group 4A. GTLs won their class at the 24 Hours of Le Mans from 1960-1962, as well as four class wins in the Targa Florio.
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A 1911 Cottin & Desgouttes, the car that set the fastest lap time in the 1911 French Grand Prix, was raced by George Wingard of Eugene, Oregon. Beautifully restored, the car won its class in the 2002 Pebble Beach Concours.
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A 1974 BMW 3.5 CSL "Batmobile" gets some loving attention before its run in Group 7B with other IMSA GT, GTX and AAGT cars. The car is owned by Henry Schmitt of San Francisco, California.

This article originally appeared in the November, 2009 issue of Hemmings Sports & Exotic Car.